Newbie questions on ISBN

[SallyWGrotta]

Okay, I'm getting ready to ePublish my husband's and my books and stories, and I'd really appreciate your guidance regarding ISBN numbers. Where do you get yours? Is there more than one source, with varying prices/services?

Then, once you have your ISBN, how do you register it with Bowker? Is there anywhere else it should be registered?

Thanks, Sally

[Edward M. Grant]

First consider whether you actually need one. Some sites demand an ISBN, but if you're just releasing e-books through Amazon and Smashwords you don't.

[Judi Coltman]

Okay, I'm getting ready to ePublish my husband's and my books and stories, and I'd really appreciate your guidance regarding ISBN numbers. Where do you get yours? Is there more than one source, with varying prices/services?

Then, once you have your ISBN, how do you register it with Bowker? Is there anywhere else it should be registered?

Thanks, Sally

Are you talking about hard copy or digital? 

[SallyWGrotta]

We'll be doing both eBooks and print paperbacks.

[ShayneHellerman]

Where you buy your ISBN depends on where you live. Google 'buy ISBN' + your country of residence and you should get the answer.

Also, I'm not sure if this is true, but I think I've heard that you can get one through Smashwords. If you live in the US and you can get it through Smashwords that would probably be the way to go, since I'm pretty sure the organization in charge of selling ISBNs in the US charges an arm and a leg for them.

Good luck.

[Edward M. Grant]

Also, I'm not sure if this is true, but I think I've heard that you can get one through Smashwords.

Smashwords provide an ISBN for sites which need them, but you shouldn't re-use that elsewhere and can't re-use it for print books.

[SallyWGrotta]

Thanks for all the information. I found the link for the U.S. agency for ISBN...  https://www.myidentifiers.com/

I haven't yet gotten into pricing.

[-alex-]

Can I ask, while we’re on the subject,

For those in the UK, (as you may know) Nielsen only offers a block of 10 (or 100 etc), not singles. I was wondering, once you buy the 10, what happens next? They email/post your numbers, and you allocate one of your 10 to your upcoming book. But how does the next part work? How is your book data such as title, author name, etc allocated in the databases across the world, when the book is published? And what happens when you release a second book at a later date? I’m a bit confused.

Hope that makes sense, lol.